Machine for applying labels to moving webs



Feb. 8, 1944.

H. B. TUTHILI. E-rAl. 2,341,493

MACHINE FOR APPLYING LABELS TO MOVING WEBS Filed Oct. 20, 1943 3Sheets-Sheet l 2 Inueniors -HowaYdB-ufh Fb M4;

H. B. TUTHILL Erm. ,3%,493

MACHNEv FOR APPLYING LABELS TO MOVING WEBS Filed Oct. 20, 1943 A 3Sheets-Sheet 2 Feb. 8, 1944.

H. B. TUTHILL ETAL MACHINE FOR APPLYING LABELS TO MOVING WEBS Filed Oct.20, 1943 3 Sheets-Sheet 3 .MH s hm uJl of e .fud n Tm Y IMMVA wwuez/ onPatented Feb. 8; 1944 MACHINE Fon. Ammo. LABELS 'ro MovlNG Howard B.Tuthill and Harry F. Caldwell, Grand Rapids, Mich., assignors to OliverMachinery Company, Grand Rapids, Mich., a limited partnership ofMichigan WEBS Application October 29, 1943, Serial No. 506,926

11 Claims.

This invention relates to a paper feeding device used in connection withthe application of labels to paper at intervals in the length thereof,the paper being thereafter utilized in wrapping articles so that thecompletely wrapped article will have exhibited on the wrapper a properlyPlaced and located label which contains indicia relative to the articleor merchandise which is wrapped.

One place of use of our invention is in conjunction with bread wrappingmachines wherein the paper is used drawn continuously into the wrappingmachine and is utilized to successively wrap loaves of bread. In suchmachines the continuous movement of the paper into the machine isantagonistic to the necessity that when the paper is having the labelapplied thereto it should be at rest. It is an object and purpose of thepresent invention to provide a novel, practical, useful and yet simplemechanism for controlling the paper whereby it may be continuouslyunwound from a roll of paper and continuously drawn into the wrappingmachine but at an intel-mediate station stopped to have the labelssuccessively applied thereto; and of course such stoppings of the paperoccur at periodic intervals or at the proper spaced distances forattachment of the labels to the continuous length of paper which isbeing operated upon.

It is to be understood that while this invention is of utility inconnection with the wrapping of bread, it is not restricted or limitedin any' sense to this one particular article of merchandise, but isgenerally available wherever wrapping paper having labels appliedthereto may be used; for example, other articles than bread, or incertain cases where a roll of paper has the labels applied thereto andis thereafter used for individual wrapping of articles cutting off thevamount of paper required for each. Other manners of use of the wrappingpaper with labels properly attached will occur and our invention isto.be considered as comprehending any manner of use of the final paperproduct after the labels {iiave been attached by the machine of ourinvenon. y

An understanding of the invention may be had from the followingdescription, taken in connection with the accompanying drawings, inwhich,

Fig. 1 is a side elevation of the label attaching mechanism illustratedas an attachment to a bread wrapping machine.

Fig. 2 is a vertical section therethrough from front to rear.

Fig. 3 is a fragmentary section showing the upper part of the labelapplying mechanism similar to that shown in Fig. 2 but illustrating theparts in a diiferent position.

Fig. 4 is va fragmentary detail in section and end elevation of thepaper stopping means used which means is likewise shown in Figs. l and2.

Fig. 5 is a fragmentary plan view thereof. and

Fig. 6 is a horizontal section through the body of the machine and at alower part thereof but above the paper feed control mechanism used inour invention.

Like reference characters refer to like parts in the diiierent figuresof the drawings.

The bread wrapping machine is fragmentarily illustrated in elevation atI, at one end thereof.

this being the end at which the paper to wrap the loaves of bread entersthe machine. From a iower part of the frame work of the machine an arm 2extends horizontally and at its free end is provided with an upwardlyextending pedestal I. 'I'he paper 4 in a roll 5 is carried on asuitablecentral spindle or core 6 mounted for free turning on suitable hooks asshown (Fig. l) below the pedestal 3.

This paper, when it enters the wrapping machine, is carried over acontinuously rotating horizontal roller 1 carried on a shaft 8, the endsof which have bearings in the sides of the wrapping machine frame.

With our invention the paper is drawn continuously from the roll 5 andis carried continuously and at substantially the same speed of movementinto the machine over the roller l. At an intermediate position betweenthe roll 5 and its entrance into the wrapping machine labels are appliedthereto at spaced intervals in the length of the paper. Upon thepedestal 3 a supporting housing is provided having spaced vertical sides9 between which a horizontal table I0 is secured over which the paperpasses, being guided over the spaced rollers I I and I2 at oppositefront and rear edges of the table.

Two arms I3 are pivotally mounted adjacent one end on a horizontal shaftIl which extends through the sides 9 of the supporting housing, beinglocated one at the outside of each side of the housing, said arms extendtoward the wrapping machine and between them carry upper and lowerhorizontal rollers I5 and I6. At the opposite end of one arm I3 it is4connected to a sleeve I'I against the upper end of which a collar I8integral with a threaded shaft I9 bears. The shaft I9 extends upwardlyin a generally vertical direction through an interiorly threaded sleeve20 which is swivelly mounted on the housing side 8 and is equipped witha handle 2I for turning at its upper end. The lower end of shaft I8 isreduced in diameter, passes through the sleeve Il and carries a coiledcompression spring 22 around it between the lower side of the collar I'Iand` a fixed collar 23 near the lower end of the shaft. Such spring. 22normally elevates the adjacent end of the arm I3 with which it isassociated to the position shown in Figs. l and 2. Upon elevation of theend of the arms I3 which carry rollers I and I6, for example, to thedotted line position shown in Fig. 2, the spring 22 is compressed andhas the normal effect of returning the parts to their initial positionwhen free to do so.

'I'he paper 4 when it leaves the roll 5 is first carried underneath theroller l25 of two spaced rollers 24 and 25 mounted between arms 28 whichare pivotally mounted between their ends on a cross shaft 21 a. shortdistance inward from the rod or core 6 and between the sides of theparts 2. The opposite end of the arm 26 is acted upon by a coiledtension spring 28. After the paper has passed under and around theroller 25 it is carried upwardly over the roller I6 and thencedownwardly underneath the roller 24, and upward at an angle to thevertical to and over the roller I I, the table III and the roller I2,and directed downwardly under the roller I5 and thence to and over theroller I of the bread wrapping machine. It is to be understood that thevwithdrawal of the paper is produced by the bread wrapping machine whichacts upon the paper to pull it into the machine in a continuousmovement.

The label strip at 29 is fed underneath a roller 30 which has pinsextending therefrom like the label feed roller shown in Patent No.2,326,436 issued August 10, 1933. The mechanism for operating the feedroller 38 is not an essential part of the present invention, suchfeeding of the label strip being shown in the patent mentioned and alsoshown in other patents which applicants have received.

A label severing and sealing mechanism is mounted on and between thesides 9 ofthe housing above the table I8. It includes an arm 32 whichcarries a heated sealer element 33 and a severing knife 34 which upondownward movement operates to sever the end label at 3l (Fig. 3) inconjunction with the bar 35 across the edge of which the knife passes,with a lowering of the sealing element 33 onto said label to press itagainst the paper 4 and cement it in place. It is to be understood thateach label at its under side carries a thermoplastic adhesive softenedby the application of heat and therefore adhering to the paper when theheating element 33 is pressed thereagainst.

The specific operation of the knife and of the sealing element islikewise shown in Patent No. 2,326,436 and substantially the samemechanism is utilized herein.

The application of such mechanism to the bread wrapping machine may nowbe outlined. The arm 33 is fixed to a rock sha'ftp36 which at one endoutside of the housing (Fig. l) carries an arm 31 at the free end ofwhich is a roller 38. 'I'he roller 38 rides upon a disk cam 38 which atone point has a concaved depression 40. When roller 38 is engaged withthe major portion of the edge of the disk cam 39 arm 3'I is elevated andthe shaft 36 rocked so as to elevate the arm 32 to upper position as inFig. 2. But when the roller 38 reaches the depression at 40 the arm 3Uis lowered with an operation of the severing knife 84 and a location ofthe heated sealing element 33 against the severed label which has beendeposited upon the paper. Such label severing and sealing occurs oncewith each revolution of the disk 38.

Disk 39 is xed upon a stud shaft 4I mounted on the housing side 8 whichshaft carries a sprocket wheel 42 driven by a sprocket chain 43 from asecond sprocket wheel 44 on a continuously rotating shaft 45 of thewrapping machine.

From the arm 32 a finger 46 extends downwardly and at its lower endportion is turned at an angle toward the wrapping machine as shown. Atthe upper inner corners and between the housing sides 8 a xed horizontalrod 41 is located on which a horizontal bar 48- is mounted for turning,having ears extending from its ends through which the shaft 4'I passes.The bar 48 has a finger 48 extending therefrom over the lower portion ofthe finger 46 and carries a screw 58 which may be adjusted to differentpositions, the lower end of which is adapted to ride upon the lower partof the finger 46 when the arm 32 isr in upper position.

At each end of the -bar 48 an arm 5I is adjustably secured to the rod4`I.4 Headed pins or posts 52 pass freely downwardly through the arms 5Iand connect with the ends of the bar 48 between the upper side of whichand the lower side of the arms 5I coiled compression springs 53 aremounted around the post or pins. 'Ihe bar 48 at its lower side carriestwo presser members 54 one adjacent each end of the bar which in theirlowermost position, as shown in Figs. 3 and 4, are pressed against thepaper 4 to force it against the table I0, this occurring when arm 32 islowered with a contemporaneous lowering of the finger 46. Thecompression springs 53 supply the force required to press the pressermembers 54 against the paper to clamp it momentarily while the sealingof the label to the paper is taking place, occurring during the timethat the roller 38 is traversing the depression 48 in the disk cam 38.

In the operation the paper 4 being drawn continuously over the roller 'Iinto the wrapping machine, while the label sealing mechanism is in upperposition as in Fig. 2 the paper moves continuously over all of therollers. But upon the severing of a label and the pressure of thesealing element 33 of said label against the paper, the paper over thetable I0 is stopped in movement. Such stoppage is done by the pressermembers 54 pressing the paper against the table and serving to bind orclamp the paper to the table with suiicient pressure to stop itsmovement.

When this occurs the paper 4 going over the roller I into the wrappingmachine being drawn continuously, the arms I3 are elevated, as to thedotted line position shown in Fig. 2. 'I'his permits the paper to bestopped in its passage over the table I0 with no stoppage of movement ofpaper into the wrapping machine. At the same time the lifting of thearms I3 with a stopping of the paper running underneath the roller 24draws upon the roll of paper at 5. There is a continuous unrolling ofpaper from the roll 5, a continuous movement of paper into the Wrappingmachine with a stopping of a length of the paper between during the timethat the heating element is pressing the label 3| against the wrappingpaper and cementing it thereto.

The construction described is of a practical and useful character andhas been utilized in wrapping machines with wholly satisfactory results.The spring controlled arm 26 provides a yielding resistance to shock tothe paper in its The invention is dened in the appended claims y and isto be considered comprehensive of all forms of structure coming withintheir scope.

We claim:

l. Means for moving a continuous length of paper in the direction of itslength, means for stopping the paper at an intermediate section of itslength with the paper at both sides of said intermediate sectioncontinued in i'ts movement, means for aflixing a label to saidstopped'intermediate section of paper while said section is held frommovement, and means acted upon by the paper drawing means for moving thepaper in continued movement at each side of the section thereof heldagainst movement during the time that said section is thus held.

2. In a construction of the class described, a support, a table on saidsupport, means for drawing paper in one direction over said table, meansfor successively cementing labels to the paper over the table atperiodic intervals, said labels being attached to the paper at spaceddistances from each other, means for stopping the paper over the tablewhile said label is applied and sealed thereto, and means with which thepaper is engaged at each side of the table actuated by the paper beingdrawn for drawing paper in its direction of movement at one side of thetable while the paper over the table is stopped in movement an'd forreleasing paper for continued movement at the opposite side of the tableduring the time that the paper over the table is stopped and a label issecured.

3. In a structure of the class described, a support including ahorizontal table, means on said support for carrying a supply of paper;a pivotally mounted member connected with said support underneath thetable at one end having upper and lower spaced rollers, the paper beingguided about one roller to one side of the table, thence over the tableand therefrom guided about the other roller, means for drawing paperfrom said paper. roll over said table and around said rollers, meanslocated over the table for supplying labels to the paper and forengaging said labels and pressing them aganst the paper and sealing themthereto, means for periodically operating said label sealing means, andmeans operated in conjunction with the label sealing means for pressingthe paper against the upper sideof the table and holding it againstmovement during the time that a label is being secured thereto.

4. In a construction of the class described, a support including ahorizontal table, rollers at opposite sides of the table, means forcarrying a supply of paper on said support, a structure including twospaced arms pivotally mounted on said support and extending in onedirection away from said pivotal mounting, upper and lower rollerscarried between said arms a distance from its pivotal mounting, thepaper from the roll being carried about the lower of said rollers to oneof the rollers at one side o! the table, thence over the table to andabout the other roller at the opposite side of the table and thenceabout the second\,of said rollers carried by said arms, spring meansacting upon said structure for normally turning said arms and rollerscarried thereby to a lower position, means for periodically clamping thepaper against said table combined with means for securing a label to thepaper over said table while thus clamped, and means for periodicallyoperating said clamping and label sealing means.

5. A construction containing the elements in combination defined inclaim 4, combined with a yielding shock absorbing means pivotallymounted on said support including pivotally mounted arms and spacedrollers between ends of said arms about which said paper passes,

and spring means acting thereon to press said rollers against saidpaper.

6. In combination with a wrapping machine having a roller at an upperportion thereof over which paper is continuously drawn into the machine,a support fora label attaching mechanism located adjacent the wrappingmachine, a horizontal table on said support over which paper is drawn,means for successively attaching labels to the paper over said table atspace d distances in the length of the paper, means associated with saidfirst mentioned means for engaging the paper and pressing it against thetable to stop the paper over the table While a labelis being attached,and movably mounted means disposed between the table and the wrappingmachine through which the paper passes adapted to be lifted by the paperpassing into the wrapping machine to permit continuous movement of thepaper into the Wrapping machine while the paper over the table isstopped and is having a label ailixed thereto.

'7. Means for moving a continuous length of paper in the direction ofits length into a wrapping mechanism, means for stopping the paper at adistance from said wrapping mechanism and outside thereof with the papercontinuing its movement into said wrapping mechanism, means for affixinga label to the paper at the place where it is stopped, and yieldingmeans with which the paper is engaged disposed between the wrappingmechanism and .the place where the label is ailixed moved by the papergoing into the wrapping mechanism to permit its continued movementthereinto and a stopping of the paper at the place where a label isattached.

8. In a construction of the class described, a support including ahorizontal table, said table being adapted to have paper pass thereover,a roller at the side of the table at which the paper leaves said table,label afiixing mechanism carried by said support above the table, meansfor operating said mechanism to periodically deposit labels one at atime at spaced apart distances on the paper and over the table and forsecuring a deposited label to said paper, a pivotallymounted structureon said support below said roller, said pivotally mounted structurehaving a horizontal roller thereon under which the paper passes afterleaving the rst mentioned roller, said paper being carried from saidsecond mentioned roller in an upward direction under a continuous pullthereon, and means for pressing the paper against the table at the timea label is being affixed thereto for stopping the paper 1o- .cated overthe table against movement during such label afxing.

9. A construction containing the elements in combination dened in claim8, said table at its opposite edge having a third roller about a portionof which the paper passes therefrom to and over the table and a yieldingmeans through which the paper passes before its passagejto said tablefor absorbing shock in removment of the paper over the table after ithasgbeen stopped and a label has been secured thereto.

10. In a machine of the class described, a support including ahorizontal table, means for carrying a roll of paper at the lower/.partof the support and below the table, a shock balancing meanspivotally-mounted to one side of the roll of paper having arms withspaced parallel rollers generally in the same horizontal-plane at theends of said arms and spring means acting to normally turn the arms in adownward direction, a structure including spaced apart arms pivotallymounted on said support and Vyextending therefrom over the rollers ofthe shock balancing means, a second pair of rollers one located over theother between the arms of said structure and located over the rollers ofthe shock balancing means, additional rollers one at each side of thetable, the paper from the roll of paper being carried to and under theoutermost rollers of the shock absorbing means, thence' upwardly to andover the lower roller on said structure, thence downwardly to and underthe second roller of the shock absorbing means, thence upwardly to andover the roller at the paper entrance side of said table, over saidtable and over the roller at the opposite side of the table, thencedownwardly over the uppermost roller of said structure and thence in anupward direction, in which direction the paper is to be pulled to movethe paper, and means for engaging against the paper over said table tostop it for a .predetermined time against movement with a continuationof movement of the paper in said upward direction, as and for thepurposes described.

11. A construction containing the elements in combination dened in claim10, combined with means for adjusting said structure about its pivotalmounting, and yielding means for normally holding the outer end of saidstructure in its lowermost position, said yielding means permittingelevation of the outer end of said structure andthe rollers thereon whenthe paper is stopped over the table.

HOWARD B. TUTHILL. HARRY F. CALDWELL.

